Game of Thrones Series: Books vs. TV

[AnaF]

I've been reading the books and then watching the corresponding seasons. I love the books (althought, sometimes, they seem to lack balance and some parts drag a bit more than others) but the series hasn't grabbed my attention the same way. The first season followed the book very closely but the second one is a bit different and I don't apprecite some of the changes they've introcuced on the plot. I believe they did well by shortning some parts because the series doesn't seem to drag as much as the book but then they change other things, they make them completely different from what was on the book and that I didn't like.

[Lhall22]

Lhall22: Though they may be the same genre, Tolkein and Martin have very different styles. Martin is very readable, even though the books are long, and the books are broken into many segments of different perspectives, which helps it seem more manageable. I adore Tolkein, but he was writing literature. His work is dense and wordy and needs a lot of pondering and unpeeling to read. You should definitely look into A Song of Ice and Fire!

Thank you very much! this information is very helpful. I think I will look into the series once I finish my current books

[V_bansal2912]

Books!! Definitely!!
I started the with the TV series, watched a few episodes and bought the whole series. I have completed all the books in a spam of 4 months. But I am not liking the wait for the next book.

[jhollan2]

Am I the only one who is really bothered by the renaming of the series? I think that A Song of Ice and Fire is such an amazing, evocative name for a series and get a bit grumpy that everyone has just now accepted that we refer to it as Game of Thrones, even though that was only the title of the first book. I mean, it's kind of an accurate summation of events, but no one ever knows what I'm talking about when I say that I love A Song of Ice and Fire.

[Titanoboa92]

I love the book series, it's so detailed and it creates a whole world. The show is good, but differs from the books at times. I am most upset with the show because of its name. I don't understand why they decided to call it the title of the first book. Why not A Song of Ice and Fire? It just bugs me.

[Chantelle_Kyber]

I have not read the books however I always watch the T.V series. I own all of the books however I won them after I watched the T.V series and I do not know whether it would be a good idea to read the book after watching the T.V series.

[Corax]

I have not read the books however I always watch the T.V series. I own all of the books however I won them after I watched the T.V series and I do not know whether it would be a good idea to read the book after watching the T.V series.

I definitely think you should read the series. I love the books, I'm reading through them again. You will notice differences, but what I try and keep in mind is that the writers do consult with Martin and I always wonder if the show is foreshadowing upcoming events in the books.

[Dustin M]

I really enjoy both the books and the TV series. I like to watch the TV series first, and then read the corresponding areas. I find that this really lets the series play out visually and without spoilers, but then I still get access to all the new information that couldn't be conveyed through the television series. This usually comes across as what certain characters are thinking and can also convey a lot of little pieces of information that can really help explain things later. Just a personal preference really but it gets me by.

[thsavage2]

I've read the first book and seen the first episode (and a few others) of the first season. However, neither the book nor the TV series did it for me. I know tons of people really like both, but I just couldn't get into them. I think if I try to get interested for 1000 pages and don't the author has had his chance, and I so I didn't bother reading the rest of them. I was also reading The Name of the Wind at the same time and I liked that a lot more, so maybe my opinion was somewhat colored by that. The TV show was fine, but again, nothing special for me. Sort of like the new Batman movies (the Dark Knight ones)-- I know lots of people rave over them, but I didn't think they were all that great.

[SidnayC]

Even though I loved the books and George R. R. Martin's writing style, I just preferred the succinct and powerful T.V. Series. Their budget for the show was obscene and it showed by how creative and epic the show was.

[gnewburn50]

I started to read the lst book of Game of Thrones before the HBO series came out because a friend suggested it. I really liked it, but when HBO put out the series-It was great to put faces to all the names and characters in the book. I have readd all the books in the series by RR Martin and I can't wait until RR Martin comes out with the book.

[hashtal]

Meee. I love love love the books way more than the series - although I must say, it is difficult to keep up with all the different characters! I like the books because they really portray humans as well rounded beings with multiple personality facets - not just good guy or bad guy. The TV series is really oversimplified as compared to the books, and not always faithful to the books. For instance, the characters' ages in the books are much younger than in the series, or how Daenerys was practically raped on her wedding night on the series, when she wasn't really in the books.

[SparklingOne]

I have watched all of the HBO seasons of the show to date, and I'm currently reading the A Dance with Dragons. It seems the shows producers have tried to keep as much of the story intact as possible. I have noticed some name changes etc. Also the way the Red Wedding went down in the book was in essence correct, but not exact since Robb's wife wasn't even at the wedding in the book. Otherwise it seems that small story lines don't make it into the story either at times, hopefully that won't leave those watchers only at a disadvantage down the road. I would recommend the books first and the show second for anyone who hasn't watched or read either yet.

[HeneryKnox]

I think they have done a great job adapting the books for the TV series, I think it helps that Martin is involved with the TV adaptation. If you haven't seen the series or read the books I recommend reading the books first it will help you understand what is going on and why. If you have seen the series but haven't read the books I think it would be worth the time since the books are able to go into more detail. I think a lot of people read books then get disappointed by TV or movie adaptions but I enjoy seeing my favorite books on the screen and I appreciate that it is a different perspective of the story.

[ipekbunsal]

I have the first book but I still haven't read all of it. Since I am watching the series on TV now, I can't focus on reading what happened in season 1. But I'll read it. Some time.